So this one is a little more specific, I’m bringing one or two dishes to a holiday office potluck next week and I want to bring some kind of salad and maybe a casserole. We have a fridge but everything will have to be served cold or at room temp. I’m looking for something hearty/wintery and nothing too out there (most people don’t know what quinoa is). So PPK, what’s your favorite salad or casserole to bring to a potluck?

I should also add that I have many, many cookbooks. So I’ll take any cookbook recipe recommendations.

For the casserole, the Vcon pumpkin baked ziti has been a hit with everyone (including omnis) that I have fed it to. I don't know how it would be room temp, though. That's sort of the kicker for any casserole I can think of.

Do you have vegan eats world? There is one in there I was thinking about bringing to our office potluck cause it's supposed to be at room temp but I'd have to look it up (which I'll do if you have the book).

I have made the black bean mango salad from Vcon in the past. It's always well liked but not winter holiday-ish.

Do you have vegan eats world? There is one in there I was thinking about bringing to our office potluck cause it's supposed to be at room temp but I'd have to look it up (which I'll do if you have the book).

I also need a room temp office holiday dish and I currently have Vegan Eats World from the library. Let me know if you figure out what it is!

The mango and peanut millet salad from Vegan Eats World is great. Not too out there but still a bit different. Most unknowledgeable people will just think the millet is cous cous.

I took Simply Splendid Kale Salad from Going Raw to a potluck before and it was one of the first things that was finished. Saying that... it was a vegan potluck so not sure how it would go down with non-vegans.

I looked at the book and I think it was the Pistachio Date Quinoa Salad that struck me for the work potluck. It's served room temp and would be filling enough if it's the only thing there for you to eat.

I also considered the Peruvian Purple Potato Salad. You could just chop up the avocado and the cilantro at the table right before serving. Plus people might be stoked about purple potatoes.

I'm doing my work potluck this week and planning on making the Bhutan Thai pineapple fried rice. I'll make it the morning of the potluck so it'll be nice and fresh and I think it'll be okay at room temp.

I was actually eying those two dishes from Vegan Eats World LazySmurf and thought they'd be good for potlucks, too. I just really want to bring the fried rice for some unknown but compelling reason. I feel fried rice in my GUT on this one. But yeah, those others from the book would be good choices.

I just made Isa's macaroni salad from Vcon for an office potluck and it went over well. Since radishes are a bit out of season I used cucumbers and red bell pepper along with scallions in place of the carrots and radishes.

I do have Vegan Eats World and I haven't even made anything out of it yet, I'll definitely check out that recipe! Thanks!

Now I'm thinking of doing two salads, hmmmm maybe pasta or some kind of root vegetable thing. Originally I wanted to do something with puff pastry or phyllo but I figured if I make it the night before, it would be soggy by the next morning.

My mom always made that layered salad with the mayo topping. You need a giant clear bowl like a trifle bowl. Lettuce, olives, tomato, whatever veggies you like, veggie or tempeh bacon, thawed frozen peas, then a thick layer of dressing. The dressing is mostly mayo with some lemon and maybe sour cream, a little sweetener...like really thick coleslaw dressing. The thick layer seals the salad and keeps it fresh. It looks pretty Midwest. But, people always attack it. I have see it mexican style, as well.

I have to make a dish for a school potluck tomorrow! Stuck at what to make. I want something that's kid friendly since it will be mostly students eating it. But I also want it interesting enough for grown ups. Hmm.

I attended a birthday dinner on the weekend & made a big antipasto platter, with grilled vegetables, salsa romesco, & the big hit was the caponata I made, served with a couple of different foccacias. That might be a good option, because it's at its best at room temperature. There's this really amazing salad in 1000 Vegan Recipes I've made a few times now which is really delicious & substantial - broccoli, potato & white beans in a walnut & parsley sauce. It is so delicious & moreish. So if you have 1000VR, I recommend that too!

I've decided to make the curry carrot dip from VCON and the lentil salad. Both pretty healthy and the carrot dip is always a hit. I think these two things will counteract the double brownie recipe I'm bringing.

I usually do a broccoli salad with dried cranberries. Super easy to throw together, bursting with nutrition, everybody loves it, and the red and green scream holiday. I have a version on my blog if you're interested.

_________________Alina NiemiAuthor of The New Scoop: Recipes for Dairy-Free, Vegan Ice Cream in Unusual Flavors (Plus Some Old Favorites),Lizard Lunch and Other Funny Animal Poems for Kids, and The Hawaii Doodle Bookhttp://alinaspencil.com